~1-7-01~

A Rift Between Worlds: Chapter 6

"Guide?" Trunks questioned, still battle-ready. "Does that mean I won't have to fight you?"

She laughed. "What do you think little boy?"

He relaxed and crossed is arms in a familiar Vegeta fashion. "I am *not* little!"

"Who are you exactly," Gohan asked. "If you don't mind me asking of course."

"Not at all. I am who I told you. Regene of Schallsea. I officially sit on the Conclave of Wizards but I occasionally guide people to their destination."

Regene was tall and thin with dark hair plaited into braids and sapphire colored eyes. She was clothed in a snowy robe of white and was draped in many pouches like Tasslehoff was. She smelled like rose petals and death, Gohan shuddered briefly and then relaxed. He remembered the smell of Raistlin and was coming to understand that it was the underlying scent of all persons who used magic.

"Why is the forest so scary?" Goten asked, still in Goku's arms. "It's *talks*!"

"Goten," she said surprising them all. "forests are living things. You are merely hearing them communicate among themselves."

"But I heard them clearly," Trunks told her. "It said something about 'Answers you seek and answers you will find'."

"Did you really hear that, Trunks, or did you imagine it?"

And then, he began to think that he did.

"Now, if you will follow me, I will lead you to the tower."

She turned around on the path then, and started off.

"Miss Regene," Gohan protested. "That was the way we came in!"

She didn't look back, didn't even pause, but her words carried themselves to their ears. "But do you really know that?"

"I'm starting to think that I don't," He said softly. Shrugging, he motioned to the others to follow.

***

Raistlin coughed softly as he moved among the dusty tomes in the hidden library he had discovered underneath his Tower. It was foolish to think that during the time of the Kingpriest, the mages had taken every single thing with them to the Tower in Wayreth forest. Absolutely foolish. The mages of old had hidden some very power artifacts and spell books there, just in case the Kingpriest had decided to break his promise and destroy the other tower. No one had found these things though, not even Fistandantilus.

"Shalafi," Dalamar called from the nearby stairs, using the elven word for 'teacher', "something is happening that I think you should know about."

Raistlin frowned and called out. "Is it really that important?"

"Yes, shalafi. It involves the Conclave."

"The Conclave," Raistlin said softly, almost like a curse. "Fine. I'll be right with you." He placed the few things that he had taken from the shelves into a magical sack and left the room. He replaced the spell on the entrance, and whispered the spell of teleportation.

The hidden library's entrance had been carefully concealed by a spell. Not just any spell, mind you, but a spell of concealment so crafty it even thwarted a mage's attempts at detection. It was just another one of the magicks of old whose knowledge had been lost. But inside the room, there were hidden secrets not even the wisest of Krynn knew about.

Save one; Raistlin Majere.

He smirked at the thought. Par-Salian, Ladonna, and the others would never find out. Not even Dalamar knew the full purpose of the room.

His spell had taken him directly to the Room of Seeing. The live ones, the beings that Raistlin had created, writhed at the sudden presence of the lord and master.

"Master," one hissed. "We have prepared the pool at Dalamar's request."

Raistlin barely acknowledged it. He motioned for his apprentice to step onto the dais and he waved a hand over the transparent liquid in the pool, the blue flame at the bottom becoming brighter. The picture came in quickly, as it did always, and both wizard's could see the Conclave in the Hall of Mages.

"They've called a full meeting," Raistlin muttered even though the connection was purely one-way, "and I know what about."

"The rifts," breathed Dalamar.

"Yes. The rifts."

***

They slowly approached the wood and iron gates, noting with interest that no one was around. They all marveled at the smoothness of the black marble that made up the walls. There were words upon the walls, in shapes that none understood save those who felt the magic singing in their blood. There was one message in Common, a warning actually, that simply told the visitor not to try anything during their stay. So simple, yet it implied many things.

Goten had began to walk on his own a little while ago and he turned to speak to Regene.

"How do we-?" He stopped, noticing that she was no where in site. "Where are you?"

"That is strange," Goku said. "Oh well. We should go inside and see this Par-whatever guy." Then he pushed on the gates and they wouldn't budge. He blinked. "That's weird."

"After experiencing all of this," Gohan said. "I don't think so."

And then, as if some invisible hand pulled them, the gates swung open to receive them.

Trunks opened his mouth and then shut it firmly. "No, I don't think I even want to ask."

Then Tas spoke up, the first he had in a long time. "Wow! I finally get to see the inside! I finally get to see Par-Salian!" And he took off up the path toward what looked to be the entrance.

"Oh no!" They all groaned, suddenly remembering what Tanis had told them right before they had departed.

'Whatever you do, don't let Tas out of your sight!'

"Let's go guys!" Gohan declared.

"Right!"

They caught up to him at the still closed doors. He had grabbed the handle and was trying to pull it open. Finally giving up and sticking his hand into his shirt pocket, he produced some lock picks.

"I've wanted a chance to use my new picks!" Then he settled down to work just as he noticed that the door had no key hole.

But that was also when it opened on it's own.

"I don't like this place either," Trunks shivered as he saw a speck of *something* brush past him.

"No need to worry," Regene said as she exited the foretower. "It's just the mages who are taking their tests."

"I *could* feel a lot of kis in this area," Goku admitted.

"If you come this way," She motioned to room just beyond their view. "I will formally announce your arrival."

They followed her into the small chamber and waited as she disappeared into a room off to the left.

"I hope this is over with so we can go home," Goten said miserably.

"I know what you mean," Gohan changed his grip on the back of Tas' shirt. "Please stop Tas."

"But I want to see!"

"I know but this is important." He settled down significantly and Gohan even released him. He smacked the small kender's hand absently as he tried to go into his pockets. "Don't do that."

Tas looked at him innocently. "Who me?"

"What do you think?"

Then the door was opened and they knew at once they were supposed to enter.

Goku shook his head at their antics. "Let's get this over with."

***

There were a semi-circle of twenty-one stone chairs in the center of the room with one set apart and in front of the rest. In that lone seat sat an old man, dressed in white robes, and only his face was visible. On his right were seven red-robed mages, on his left were seven black-robed mages, and directly behind were seven who wore the same color robe as he.

"Hello," Goku said to them. "Who are you?"

The man inclined his head slightly. "I am Par-Salian and the mages behind me all make up the Conclave of Wizards. You must be wondering why I've summoned you here-"

Tasslehoff spoke up then, a little annoyed by the trip. "I have something to say."

Par-Salian looked at him but said nothing. Tas took that as a good sign.

"Your forest is not at all nice you know! It scared my friends, it got us lost, and a bunch of other things too."

The old man hid a smile. "Really? I apologize then."

Tas nodded and shook a finger. "Just next time please be more responsible if you can."

"Are you finished kenderken? I would like to explain." Tas nodded. "I know all about the rift on the path outside of Solace. There are a lot more opening all around Krynn but sadly, we don't know what to do about them."

"Isn't Raistlin the cause of all this?" Gohan questioned.

"Well yes and no," He admitted. "He tried out a new spell that day but it wasn't he who opened the tears in the fabric of the dimensional plane." Then he looked up. "I'm sorry, you must be tired from your journey. Would you like a seat?"

"Yes please!" Goten said. "This stone floor isn't that comfortable."

Trunks elbowed him. "I don't think it was meant to be baka."

With a wave of a hand that was partially concealed by the wide sleeves of his white robe five soft and comfortable chairs appeared. "Have a seat."

Tas liked how soft the material was ignoring the fact that it was just magicked out of thin air. He swung his legs leisurely waiting for the elder wizard to continue.

"Now, you four are from the world that the portal connects am I correct?"

"Yes sir," Gohan said solemnly. "We are."

"Is you world better?"

A frown crossed his face. "I'm not sure what you mean..."

"I think I understand," Goku spoke up suddenly. And then to Par-Salian, "I haven't seen enough of your world to give you an answer. But, why do you ask?"

"I think I know what may have caused those rifts..." He trailed off but one black robe picked up where he left of.

"Surely you can't mean Fistandantilus!" She threw back her hood to look him straight into the eyes. "You can't!"

"Who is that?" Trunks asked. "Who is Fistan - whatever you said."

"He is a mage from long ago young Trunks," A white robe spoke. They all recognized her voice, it was the guide from before. "One of considerable power who was aligned with the Black Robes of Evil. He once sought to go through a portal and become a god but he failed and he used his magic to send himself to another plane. That's all you need to know of him now and that's all you will hear."

"Regene is correct," Par-Salian spoke. "and so is Ladonna. I am suspecting Fistandantilus. In fact, all signs point to him." He fixed them all with a calculated stare. "You must do one thing for me. I need to be sure."

"Sir?" Gohan answered.

"I want you to observe our world from the backs of the dragons. I need to know whether he would be enticed enough to exit his plane. That is why I asked the question from before."

Tas smiled brightly, overjoyed at the dragon ride. "You can count on us Par-Salian!"

"I hope so, kenderken, I hope so."

I might be a little slow in the next part, but I'll try my best. I need to get more out for the Fifth Fiancé and Duo Maxwell's Island. Was this part better than the rest? I tried with the detail and everything but it might not be. Comments, anyone?